Blazing Cinders
by Inkpaw of WriterClan
Summary: When will Lionblaze realize that love makes him vulnerable? That he's not invincible as he claims? Most importantly, when will he see that Cinderheart still loves him? One-shot.


The air was cool, as dusk edged the horizon. Leaves fell from the slight breeze, giving signs of leaf-fall. The lake reflected the faint outline of stars.

Lionblaze headed down to the lake's shore where Cinderheart wanted to meet; there they could speak in private.

"You aren't as invincible as you think you are," she hissed, announcing her presense. "You once said that nothing could destroy you; at the time, I believed you."

He turned to watch her come onto the sandy beach. "Nothing _can_ destroy me," Lionblaze argued, glaring at her. "I've fought many battles and haven't lost one!" He flexed his claws. _What is she talking about? I don't believe her! I am one of the Three!_

Cinderheart came further out on the shore, a few tail-lengths away from him. The breeze tugged at their fur. "So you think!" the gray she-cat snapped. She flicked her ear. "I know more about that prophecy than you'll ever guess!"

"StarClan didn't make _you_ the savior of the Clan for a reason," he spat. He found it surprisingly hard to stay angry at her; she was so innocent... "You couldn't handle the stress: Which is exactly why you left me!"

The gray she-cat sucked in a breath, shocked. She looked down. "You're wrong, Lionblaze, dead wrong," Cinderheart whispered, her body trembling. "I know who you are." The breeze faded out her words, but he heard them.

"Who am I?" he demanded. "If you know everything, who _am_ I?" He waited for her to answer, wishing his heart would stop pounding against his ribcage rapidly. The sun began to sink below the horizon, casting a pale glow on the lake.

She hesitated, avoiding his heavy gaze. "You are Lionblaze, one of the Three. You are my lover, my protector. You are Leafpool's kit, the forbidden son. You're Firestar's kin, the one who no harm can come. You're the strongest of your litter, the most excelled in battle."

"I am not your lover."

"Wrong again, Lionblaze. I have something you'll never guess," she murmured quietly. "I _know_ you're not invincible." Cinderheart looked out at the lake.

He took a step toward her, sensing her despair. "And what is that?" he asked gently. Something inside him needed to know. He ached for Cinderheart to return to him, for her to stop insisting something that he's not invincible.

"You love me," she whispered, her words hardly decipherable. She gazed out at the sparkling water; it shone with the stars' reflection.

Lionblaze twitched his whiskers. "The question is: do _you_ love me?"

"Yes."

His heart skipped a beat. Did he hear her correctly? She didn't want to be with him anymore! "Why am I not invincible?" he asked. He was positive that she could hear the anxiety in his meow.

Cinderheart didn't answer him, closing her eyes.

Lionblaze gazed out at the water. Suddenly, he felt the urge to get in. He padded up to the lake, wary of Cinderheart peeking at him. Lionblaze took a deep breath, and then waded into the water, letting it soak his belly-fur.

"What are you doing?" she asked from the shore.

The water was freezing. He forced himself to stay, though, until his paws were numb to it. He padded in further. Pebbles scrapped his pads. Lionblaze shuddered.

Cinderheart snorted. "Are you crazy? You'll freeze to death out there!"

He didn't reply. Lionblaze let the cold water lap at his fur. A stick poked his flank, but he didn't care. The musky scent of the lake drifted to his nose.

Lionblaze heard a splash, but didn't look behind him. If Cinderheart wanted to get wet, that's her problem. "Really? Are you this stubborn?" she hissed. "You're gonna make me get drenched like a RiverClan cat to come get you?"

"I don't need to be rescued," he whispered. Lionblaze looked up at the stars, wondering which ancestor made up this crazy prophecy. _But..._ he thought desperately, _without it we'd lose to the Dark Forest. _

Cinderheart waded further in, so she was shoulder-to-shoulder with him. "You're the craziest cat I know," she meowed, following his gaze to the stars. "You should really learn that swimming is for RiverClan cats. Or are you half RiverClan too?"

"I'm not related to any RiverClan cat," he growled. "Just a selfish WindClan one."

"How do you know _he's_ not related to a RiverClan cat?" Cinderheart challenged. "You know, we all could be part RiverClan."

"Highly unlikely; I'm not catching fish anytime soon."

Cinderheart shivered. "Yeah, I don't think so either. So what do you say we get out of the icky lake?"

Lionblaze turned to face her. "Sounds like a plan; what's your strategy?"

"Force!" she purred, pushing him towards the shore.

He stumbled in the cold water, letting her 'force' him on the beach. Lionblaze shivered under the moon's glow. The murky water dripped off their fur. He shook his pelt.

"Gross!" Cinderheart complained as the muddy content of the lake from his pelt hit her. He backed away as she shook her own pelt.

Lionblaze twitched his whiskers. "You sure act like you love me, yet you don't want me."

The mood suddenly shifted between the two. Cinderheart straightened. "You don't know that."

"Then you do want me?"

"I didn't say that, either," she murmured quietly, shying away. "I just meant . . . I just meant that I'm undecided."

"You should really decide then," Lionblaze growled. "I don't want to get myself in a relationship with someone who can't make up her mind."

"Nor I one who thinks he's invincible," Cinderheart spat, lashing her tail. "You're not!"

Lionblaze hissed, "Prove it!" He wanted to hear just what was running through her mind. _She doesn't understand the responsibility I feel... But I shouldn't expect this much of her. _

Cinderheart hesitated, flicking her ears. "You love me," she whispered. "That makes you vulnerable."

"Nothing can hurt me," Lionblaze insisted. "I am one of the Three."

"Wrong," she growled. "You're so blind, aren't you?" She stared at him, watchful.

Lionblaze lashed his tail. "Don't intimidate me or my brother!"

"This has nothing to do with Jayfeather," she muttered bitterly. "It has everything to do with _you." _

"Shut up!" He started toward the forest, walking quickly. Lionblaze ignored it when Cinderheart kept pace with him.

"You know, when you love someone you're committed to protect them," she meowed quietly. "I can't protect you as you can me. That throws the balance off, Lionblaze. It's all about balance. I could never be your mate because I can never protect you . . ." her voice trailed off as he abruptly halted. "Lionblaze?"

"So you do love me," he whispered, as if admitting it for the first time.

"Of course."

There was a long moment of silence between them. They stared at one another. "What does it matter that I'm one of the Three? Before I told you, we were perfectly fine."

"No we weren't." She paused. "I can't stand the way things were before. I was so unsuspecting... It's horrible."

"If it was so horrible, then why do you still love me?"

"I-I don't know. All I know is that you are not invincible as you think," she murmured. "I can hurt you, Lionblaze. In fact, I'm sure I already have. You're vulnerable."

"I am not," he growled, watching the way her eyes glinted. "I can never lose a battle."

"It's too late," Cinderheart insisted. "You've already lost. I can see it in your eyes, Lionblaze. When I don't stay with you, it hurts you so much."

"I never get hurt!"

"I've already harmed you."


End file.
